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Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Games 2022: Nikhat Zareen to continue fighting in 50kg weight category

Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 gold medallist Nikhat Zareen will continue to compete in the 50 kg till the 2024 Olympics.

Commonwealth Games 2022: Nikhat Zareen to continue fighting in 50kg weight category
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Nikhat Zareen

By

PTI

Updated: 7 Aug 2022 6:27 PM GMT

Newly-crowned Commonwealth Games light flyweight champion Nikhat Zareen will continue to ply her trade in 50kg weight category till the 2024 Paris Olympics. For the CWG, Zareen dropped down from 52kg, in which she won the world championship in May to 50kg to assess how her body adapts to the lower weight class. "I prefer losing weight and boxing in lower weight categories, so I will continue in this category," Zareen told PTI in an interaction.

In the absence of her preferred 52kg weight division in the Paris Olympics, the 26-year-old is facing with a dilemma of either moving down to 50kg or climbing up to 54kg. However, after her dominant display at the CWG that saw her winning the gold in her maiden appearance, it seems that the 2019 Asian Championships bronze medallist is at ease with her new weight class.

"It's (the win) very important for me as it has come in a new category. I had to work harder for this to cut down two kilograms and at the same time not letting up the speed and power," she said. "The competition here was not close to the one I had at the World Championships. But for me, it was a new experience for me (weight category). I was confident of doing well. But you never know how it pans out in the ring."

Having become a household name after her spectacular World Championship win, the expectations on Zareen to return with a gold medal from Birmingham were high. "There were a lot of expectations on me after winning the World Championships, no doubt about that. "But it's good to be in a pressure situation. I don't want to take it easy in the ring. I should feel that I'm under pressure and people expect a medal from me. "I've more expectations from me than the people. Pressure only brings out the best out of me."

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